


Freedom

by SwirlsOfBlueJay



Category: Dark Angel
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, allusions to child soldiers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwirlsOfBlueJay/pseuds/SwirlsOfBlueJay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for LAS prompt; Autumn. Max's first Autumn outside of Manticore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freedom

Max mostly moved around at night; never having to sleep was handy when you were on the run. Being a genetically enhanced super soldier was handy too. When she did walk around in the daylight she was always extra vigilant and conscious of the bar-code tattoo that identified her as X5-452; a tool, a weapon, a soldier- a prisoner. She could feel everyone’s stares lingering on the back of her neck, it felt like their irises could scan the bars and reveal the truth and she would be back in that dreadful place; Manticore.

But now autumn was beginning and as the air cooled wearing turtle-necked jumpers and fleeces was justified and didn’t draw attention. She could finally go out during the day without crouching in shadows; autumn felt like the first taste of freedom. Her tattoo was buried- just like her old life at Manticore- she identified herself as Max; a survivor, a girl- a free person.

Max thinks of her previous autumns; when all she knew of them was miserably crawling through damp slush’s of muddied leaves for covert operations training and hating the squelch of the leaves under her that always made too much noise- alerting trouble. Now the world in autumn is an entirely different place, she enjoys the noise and feel of the leaves crunching under her boots- it feels like rebellion; she can make this noise and they can’t catch her, and well, it’s also fun. Now that Max has time to look she really _sees_ the golden orange leaves hanging stunningly from the trees and steals seconds to gaze at them when she’s not watching her back.

One day sitting under a tree, staring at the rattling branches and the shaking leaves Max realises her mistake; she had let her guard down. There was someone coming towards her walking with determinedly casual strides, the person was clearly trying to look inconspicuous She made her pupil’s expand; eyes zoomed in on the man and she instantly recognised him; he must’ve been from Manticore. Running was a plan she dismissed quickly; it was too late, he was too close, too many people were around (including more than a fair share of beat cops). She could take them all down but that would draw way too much attention; helicopters and squadrons would be here in hours. There was only one option; hide in plain sight. As nine years of military training had taught her, when this close to an enemy it was vital to blend in. She decided to hide in the park and pretend to be just another kid playing.

Max slipped across the road and kept her pace just a little faster than the man until she reached the park that was two roads down. Immediately commencing her mission she searched for a group of children similar to her age; mission- infiltrate and acclimatise. There was a group of kids approximately ten to twelve years old. Putting on her friendly convincing smile and imitating the skipping gait of the kids jumping about, Max went up to them.

“Can I play?”

One of the girls scowled, another looked curiously at her but the others smiled genuinely and one grabbed her hand pulling her into their game.

“Sure.” The apparent leader of the group replied, as though it hadn’t already been decided.

Max carried on the necessary actions that participation in the game required; keeping her eyes watching for the enemy. It was an hour before she was sure the man had moved on to search somewhere else and there was no one he had called to take his place around here.. Then she decided to stay a while longer just to make sure. Her guard diminished as time passed and before she knew it she was playing for real; rolling in the leaf-littered grass, chasing and throwing dried-up leaves at each other, laughing into the wind. It almost felt like she was back with her siblings; the only friends she had ever known. For that reason she went back the next day despite the danger.

The autumn days went on and they all spent almost every after-school afternoon together. Their bond grew; they considered Max a close friend and Max felt likewise. The golden-orange had turned to bare branches and dead leaves when Manticore caught up with her. As autumn fell into winter, groups of agents were patrolling her neighbourhood, seeking her out. She stole a bicycle and rode away; leaving everyone and everything behind. It hurt, but she never looked back.

Autumn still has a little place in her heart- next to the few people she cares for and her X5 siblings.  
  



End file.
